What Should Have Been
by Liv Cassidy
Summary: AU: She spent a night with him in season one. What if that night had changed her life forever? The Special Victims Unit wouldn't be the same today.
1. Chapter 1

_What Should Have Been_

_**Warning: This is not an EO story, nor will it ever be. However, there will be a strong EO friendship present throughout the story. **_

Olivia finally had learned the meaning of the phrase, "Everything happens for a reason." As she looked back on the last thirteen years of her life, she realized that everything had worked out the way it was supposed to happen. Now, in 2013, she was living a fairy tale with three beautiful children and the perfect husband. How could she have it any other way? Unfortunately, she hadn't always had that line of thinking…

Early 2000

He was gone. Olivia felt a sense of relief come over her as she looked at Brian Cassidy's empty desk. Yet, a little grief lingered inside her heart. She knew that she was the reason Brian Cassidy had transferred out of the Special Victims Unit. _"I can't deal with the victims," _had been merely a cover story for him, and she knew it. She shouldn't have done it. She had broken a personal rule that she would always regret. _You don't sleep with your co-workers, Olivia, damn-it! _The voice inside her head screamed. It was done and over with, and there was no going back. Two months had passed, and she had to get on with her life.

She turned her head to find Captain Donald Cragen's eyes beating on her, observing her take note to Brian's empty desk.

"You know, you're no longer co-workers," Cragen told her. Was he reading her mind? Or, was it really just that obvious? Apparently it was, because Elliot had read right through her. But Elliot was her partner – for better or worst – and that was to be expected from him.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Captain," Olivia responded softly, looking at the incomplete paperwork on her desk.

"Olivia, are really that blind? Brian likes you a lot, and I'm no fool. I sent him on that assignment for a reason, so he would transfer out of the unit. Go after him, Liv. I would have sent you, but I can't afford to lose you. Plus, I think he's the weaker link. He needs a woman like you in his life to set him straight."

Olivia laughed, in shock of the words her captain had just said.

"I know how he felt about me, and quite frankly, I'm not interested in him like that. His transferring out was probably the best thing for him, though. Now he can forget about me."

"I don't think that would be an easy mission for anyone, Olivia," Cragen said, shrugging and proceeding toward his office. Olivia released a sigh and returned to her paperwork. She didn't get what Cragen was getting at. She wasn't that great, so why wouldn't Brian be able to move on quickly and easily? Hell, he had probably already moved on.

Just a few months ago, Cragen had been threatening her job because he didn't think she could handle the cases, but now "he couldn't afford to lose her." What was he on now? She often doubted her abilities as a detective and had thought about transferring out of the unit herself. The cases hit so close to home. Her mother had begged her to transfer, but Olivia didn't. She strived to help women who were going through the same struggles her mother had gone through.

"_Why didn't you just become a rape counselor?" _her mother had asked her once, and she'd responded that rape counselors only see one side of the story. As a SVU detective, she had the opportunity to counsel the victims and also seek justice for them, taking men like her biological father off the streets.

Her head was spinning relentlessly. That'd been happening quite a bit lately. She blamed the stress she was under. The blood pouring through her head pounded ferociously against her skeleton. _Not another migraine, _she thought to herself. She put her pen down and held her head in her hands. Her stomach burned painfully as the nausea set in. It'd been happening frequently lately. She felt like she was in college again. For some reason, whenever finals came around and she was stressed out of her mind, she would always fall ill.

"Olivia, are you okay?" she heard Elliot's voice from behind her. She felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Huh?" she tried to understand what he was saying, but the words weren't making sense inside her head. She suddenly felt the urge to purge. She gripped her stomach and jolted toward the bathroom, only to empty her guts into the toilet. She released a sigh of relief. Her nausea subsided.

When she exited the bathroom, she found Elliot leaning against the wall. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" she demanded. She loved him to death, as her partner of course. She understood his concern for her, but she was an adult and could take care of herself. She'd been taking care of herself for the majority of her life.

"Oh, well, let's see. That's the fourth time this week you've thrown up at work, Olivia. I know you told me that get sick when you're under stress, but I'm not sure if that's it. The other day I walked in on you sleeping at your desk. That's not like you. And then when we were chasing a perp, you were short of breath. I have to ask…when was your last period?"

"The hell, _Elliot_," she snarled, in disbelief that Elliot had asked such a personal question. "That's none of your business…" She trailed off, suddenly pondering the question herself. She always used protection, so she hardly kept track of her period. She'd recently switched birth control pill that was supposed to make her periods come only four times a year, so she wasn't concerned.

"It's just food for thought," Elliot said, calmly. "I'm not trying to pry into your personal life, but you're my partner and I do care about you. As long as we're partners, we're married to each other while we're at work. I'm just looking out for you."

"I know, Elliot," she said, quietly. "I'm not…pregnant…"

"Are you positive?" Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course I'm positive." Olivia widened her eyes, suddenly becoming uncertain of her statement. _No, it can't be possible, _she assured herself.

"I mean, it's not like you're abstaining from sex, Olivia. So, there's always a possibility. Don't forget that I know about you and Cassidy, and that was only a couple months ago. Well, have you had your period since then?"

"Again, it's none of your business," Olivia said, firmly. In the back of her mind, she was trying to remember when she'd last had it. She'd started the new pill about a week before she and Brian had slept together. She'd been so drunk at the time that she couldn't remember if he'd used a condom. _Shit, _she thought, wondering if the birth control pills had been in full effect at the time.

"Have you slept with anyone else?"

"Elliot, just stop," Olivia demanded and returned to her desk to finish her paperwork due at the end of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

She wasn't the same person she was thirteen years ago. When she reflected back, she realized how selfish she had been at the time. There had been a point in her life that she had believed that people were permanent and could not change. You were born who you were and that's who you would be the rest of your life. As she grew older, she learned that wasn't the case at all.

Life was composed of milestones, and becoming a mother and a wife had definitely been a huge milestone in her life. Unfortunately, the first had come before the second. She was a firm believer in not getting married just because she was having a baby with someone. In fact, at first she hadn't been so certain she'd even wanted him to be part of her child's life. At one point, she had decided her child would not even have a life.

Early 2000

Elliot's words ate at her brain for the remainder of the day. When she went home, she couldn't stop worrying. Brian Cassidy had been the last man she had been intimate with, and she'd convinced herself that she hadn't had her period since then. She'd thought it was just the birth control, but what if it wasn't? Every comment Elliot had said made absolute sense. What if her illness wasn't just stress? She swallowed hard, as nausea swept over her again as she walked past the pizza joint next to the convenient store. She loved pizza, but the sudden aroma that lingered through her nose made her want to vomit. _It's all in my head now, _she assured herself. Elliot had forced her to convince herself that she _was _pregnant, so that's why she was now noticing all the symptoms. She was creating her own placebo pregnancy. _That's it, that's what it has to be. _

She grabbed a duo pregnancy test kit. Her heart beat rapidly as she held the box in her hand. This was the only way that she would know for sure and could put her mind at ease. Then, she could tell Elliot for sure that she wasn't pregnant. Not that it was any of his business if she was. _Well, actually it is, _she knew. He was her partner, and her being pregnant would have a huge effect on him. It would mean, if she chose to keep the baby, she would eventually be put on desk duty and he'd need a new partner.

_If she chose to keep the baby, _the words repeated inside her head. The thought of abortion circled around her head. That's it. If she was pregnant, she could just get an abortion and her problem would be solved. Clearly, that was the best thing to do. She wasn't fit to be a mother, after all. She had no man, and there was no way in hell Brian fucking Cassidy was going to be the father of her child. She couldn't fathom how she'd slept with him. The _boy _wasn't cut out to be father. He was just a child himself at thirty years old. Some men just never grew up, and Brian Cassidy would be one of those men, she figured. He'd be the man who would gamble all his money away and have to move back in with his mother. She could easily see it happening.

She didn't think highly of Brian, and she was ashamed of what she'd done. Now, she might be _pregnant, _and that would just mess up everything. She was a detective, and her life was dedicated to taking rapists off the street, and that's where she saw her future. Her future wasn't playing "Mommy." She knew that she would be an absolute horrible mom. She had absolutely horrible genetics. Her mother was a drunk and her father was a rapist. What would that make her child, a drunk rapist? Then, he or she would have Brian's genes, and those certainly weren't promising either.

_Dear God, if you're real, please don't let it be so, _she thought as she walked in her apartment. She was impatient and couldn't wait any longer to take the test. She entered her bathroom and read the instructions on the kit. It'd been forever since she'd taken a pregnancy test. Her scare, after all, had been when she was in college.

Now was the waiting game. Her heart pounded harder as she waited for the results that would either release her stress or complicate her life to the max. _Please be a minus sign, please, _she thought, waiting and watching as the plus sign appeared on the test.

Her heart fell to the floor.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, _the words pounded in her head, wanting to take the second test immediately, but she knew that she should wait until morning for a more accurate result.

She fell into bed, and her tears bled into her pillow. She hadn't cried this much in a long time. She beat her head against her pillow, wishing the pillow was harder and could inflict more pain. What had she done? She was so stupid, so foolish. This couldn't be happening. Olivia cried herself into a dreamless sleep.

Less than two hours later, Olivia was woken by her beeper. It was Cragen telling her that Elliot was going to swing by and pick her up. A nude body of a woman had been found in a trash can. For just a second, Olivia had forgotten about the pregnancy test. That was, until she went into the bathroom to try to look somewhat decent, and she saw the second pregnancy test sitting by the sink. Her heart sank in her chest, knowing she didn't have time to take the second one now. She quickly set the test inside her cupboard, just in case Elliot had to use the bathroom. She couldn't risk him seeing it and questioning her. Her stomach gurgled, and she realized she hadn't eaten anything the night before. Her stomach had felt so sick after walking by the pizza joint that she hadn't felt the urge to eat the rest of the night. Then, after seeing the result of the first test, she'd been so traumatized that she couldn't eat. Now, she was starving. Perhaps Elliot would want to stop for donuts after they went to the crime scene.

Her head ached, though. She closed her eyes for just a moment. She was so tired. When she closed her eyes, she could still see the light from the bathroom in the center of darkness. The light circles swirled in her head. She wobbled back into the bedroom and found herself falling on the bed. However, she didn't have the opportunity to get too comfortable, because a loud knock soon pounded on her door.

"Coming," she mumbled, grabbing her jacket and heading toward her apartment door. She looked through the small hole to see Elliot standing. She sighed, unlocking the door.

"Hey, Olivia," Elliot greeted her. His smile quickly drooped. "You don't look so hot, Olivia."

"Well, I'm not your wife, so I don't have to look hot," Olivia grumbled.

"Someone didn't wake up on the right side of the bed, I take it," Elliot said, shaking his head. Olivia didn't reply. She locked the door and closed it, walking out with Elliot. Her head was still light, and she felt like she was wandering in darkness. They began to walk down the stairs, but Olivia found herself having a hard time keeping her balance. Elliot's reflexes were fast, as he grabbed her and held her.

"Well, this is awkward," Olivia said, looking at Elliot.

"Liv, you're not okay. I'm paging Cragen and telling him that you're sick and I'm going to stay with you. Munch and Jeffries can cover for us. Come on, let's get you upstairs."

"El, I'm fine!" Olivia insisted, knowing in her heart that she wasn't. She felt like crap, and she just wanted to lie down and fall asleep. Nonetheless, she was determined to meet Cragen at the crime scene. She wasn't about to lose her job just because she felt like shit. She'd gone to work plenty of other times feeling like shit.

"Liv, look at yourself. You need to take care of yourself first. The job comes second. Now, come on. I'm not leaving you." He put his arm around her and guided her up the stairs.

"Something tells me that Kathy wouldn't be too keen on you having your arm around me like this," Olivia smirked, teasingly.

"I think she'd be fine with it if she knew the circumstances," Elliot insisted. "Granted, from the outside, this does look pretty bad." He took her keys from her and unlocked her door, and then he guided her to the couch. "There."

"El, I'm really fine," Olivia insisted, looking up at him with wide eyes, as his blue eyes twinkled down on her.

"No, Liv, you're really not. You look like death. As your partner and best friend, I'm not going to let you go out and hurt yourself. Now, I know you say it's none of my business, but I really want to make sure you're okay…"

"Elliot, save it," she said abruptly, knowing she had to tell him the results. Like he'd said, he was her best friend, and she had managed to tell him everything about herself in the short amount of time they had worked together. He wasn't like her previous partners. For one, he genuinely cared about her, and not just as a partner. He cared about her as a friend, too. Their partnership was so much deeper than that of two detectives. He was in some ways like her older brother.

"Liv…"

"Elliot, I took a test."

"And?" he raised an eyebrow.

"It was positive," she whispered, looking at him, trying to fight back her tears; but she just could not hold them inside. The tears ran down her eyes, and Elliot wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. She'd never been this physically close to her partner.

**I swear, this isn't EO! Haha. There's no denying that there's sexual tension between Olivia and Elliot (more so, Mariska and Chris), and this is how I think Elliot would have reacted had this happened. **


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia could not imagine her life without Elliot. Granted, sometimes he could be a major pain in the ass, but she knew that he always had good intentions. Her children would never know this, but Elliot was the reason they were alive now.

He was like the older brother she never had, and that was why her children called him "Uncle Elliot." His youngest and her youngest were absolutely inseparable. Elliot and Olivia often joked about what would happen if their kids grew up and got married.

"But they are basically cousins," Olivia joked once. "That would be incest."

"Hey, they're not related by blood," Elliot had noted. "So, technically it's not incest."

She knew that he was right, and the idea toyed in her head often too. Nonetheless, she just wanted to enjoy the little moments while her children were still young. They were already growing so quickly. Where had the time gone? She was content with her life now and wanted nothing to change. It had not been an easy journey to get to that point, though.

Early 2000

His blue eyes melted into hers as she wiped her tears away.

"I'm sorry," Olivia murmured, ashamed that she'd broken down so easily in front of her partner. She was supposed to be a rock. By now, Olivia was used to being the only woman in the department.

When she worked patrol, all her colleagues had been men. So, the transfer to Special Victims had not been that big of a change. She was used to concealing her emotions. Somehow, though, Captain Cragen and Elliot had been able to read right through her from the beginning. Her first cases with SVU had really gotten to her. She tried to hide it, but obviously she had not done a very good job. Cragen repeatedly said_, "We don't get to pick the vic." _She had taken offense to that statement, because she thought it meant that Cragen did not think she was capable of handling her job. She'd been with SVU a little over six months now and had her feet wet. The cases still got to her; she knew that they would never stop bothering her, but she had gotten use to the job.

"Olivia," Elliot said softly, wrapping his arm around her. "You have nothing to be sorry for! I'm your partner, for better or worse, and I'm here for you. You have every right to be emotional at this time."

_Right, because I'm single and pregnant. _Elliot hadn't said it, but she knew that's what he was thinking. The conception had been the result of a one-night stand with a former co-worker. If Internal Affairs caught wind of it, she knew she could lose her job. Even though she and Brian were no longer coworkers, the conception had taken place while they were still in the same precinct. One Police Plaza would have loads of fun with this one. _And this is why I have to terminate the pregnancy, _she told herself, knowing she couldn't tell Elliot her plan. Elliot was a devout Catholic and would try to convince her not to have the abortion.

"Thanks, El," she said, trying to form a smile, but her muscles were too tense. She backed away from Elliot and crossed her arms.

"Cassidy is the dad, isn't he?" Elliot didn't have to ask, because he already knew.

"Yes," she nodded, releasing a sigh. "He's the father. He will be no dad to any child of mine."

"Liv, think about what you're saying," Elliot said slowly. "You've got to tell him. He has the right to know."

"Brian Cassidy is not fit to be a father," Olivia told Elliot. "There's no way in Hell that I'm telling him that I'm pregnant with his child."

"Liv, if you remember right, he did want a relationship with you. He's not such a bad guy, you know. There's a lot worse out there. And besides, you did have sex with him…"

"Don't remind me!" Olivia hissed. "I was drunk, thankfully, so I barely remember it. El, thanks for your concern and everything, but I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, and I'll take care of everything on my own. Look, please, just don't tell anyone, okay?"

Elliot raised an eyebrow at her and gazed at her curiously with concern in his eyes.

"I think I know where you are going with this, Olivia," he said slowly. "Liv, I can understand if you want to give the baby up for adoption, but I know you, Liv. You are not a murderer."

"God, El, I don't need your opinion on this," she clasped her hands over her face and began crying harder. She really didn't want to hear Elliot's opinion. It was her body, and she had full rights to it. She did not need any _man_, especially Elliot, telling her to do with her own body.

"Liv, I know that it's your body," Elliot said quietly. _What was he, fucking reading her mind? _"But, I just think there are better alternatives. Plus, I think you'd make a great mother."

"Elliot, shut up," Olivia growled, raising her chin and staring into his crisp blue eyes. "Look at me, Elliot! Damn it! I'm in no condition to be a mother. I'm a _detective_. My life is dedicated to the job. There is no room for a baby in my life right now."

"And you think that I thought I was fit to be a parent at seventeen? I certainly didn't, but I wouldn't change what happened for the world. Sure, I could have left Kathy, or she could have ended the pregnancy. Honestly, I don't think I could have lived with myself! Sure, I wasn't ready to be a parent at the time, but we made it work. And I wouldn't change my life now for the world." Elliot's face flustered red. "Liv, I'll be here for support. The whole precinct will have your back. You can do this, but you need to tell Brian."

Her face was drenched with tears. "I can't," she mouthed.

"Well, if you won't," Elliot began, "I'll track him down myself and tell him. Which is it going to be, Olivia?"


	4. Chapter 4

She sometimes thought about what her life would be like if she'd never told Elliot. What if they hadn't been called to the crime scene that night? What if she'd been able to terminate the pregnancy without any further questioning from Elliot? She knew the odds were slim of him not questioning her further. Elliot had already been suspicious, which was why she had told him in the first place. He had been through three pregnancies with his wife, so he was aware of the signs. Still, her life would have taken a total different route if she hadn't told him. She was so convinced that she couldn't be a mother. She truly believed that she was in no condition to bring a child into the hostile world in which she lived.

Where would she be now? January 2013. Exactly thirteen years had passed. Would she still be single and alone? Would Elliot still be her partner? Perhaps, Kathy's jealousy would have escalated, and she would have left Elliot. The idea had crossed Olivia's mind before. What if she and Elliot had hooked up? Elliot was so much like a brother now, that she couldn't imagine that happening. At the time, though, they'd only worked together for a little while. There had been a point she had a crush on him, but she had known he was off limits. Eventually she learned to see him like the older brother she'd never had. Although he could be a pest at times, she was grateful for him; and her children adored their "Uncle Elliot."

Early 2000

"Liv, say something," Elliot placed his hand on her shoulder. She stared at him with wide eyes. She couldn't believe the words that had just come out of his mouth. _I'll track him down and tell him. _Who the hell did Elliot Stabler think he was? He had no right to barge into her personal life. He was her _partner_. She understood his concern for her, but she was mortified that he was willing to do such an act.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she hissed. "I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself, Elliot. Just get the hell out of here, okay? And if you do track down Brian and tell him, I'll personally make sure you regret it." She thought of her gun, which sat on her nightstand in her bedroom. She always made sure it was easily accessible, just in case she needed it in the middle of the night. She removed the bullets, though, for safety purposes. If she knew that she was having company, she always made sure to put the gun in a more secluded area. A gun by anyone's bedside could make for an awkward encounter in the bedroom. Once, she'd forgotten to put it away, and she'd scared the hell out of the guy she was entertaining. She had considered leaving it out more often. Then at least the men would know that she didn't play games.

"What, you'll shoot me?" Elliot said with a smirk on his face, seeming to read her mind. She wondered how he always managed to do that. Then again, there were plenty of times she knew what he was thinking. When you worked with someone day in and day out, you learned their line of thinking. You had to when your life depended on them.

"Might," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Liv, for God's sake, grow up. You're an adult, and you need to take responsibility for your actions. Yes, you may not have wanted this right now, but it's something you can't exactly ignore."

"And thanks for the lecture, Dad. I wasn't planning on ignoring it. I'll take care of it, promise." She slid off the couch, feeling less woozy now. Her blood still rushed to her head, which throbbed. She was furious. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Now, get the hell out, Elliot Stabler. Tell Cragen I have the flu, and if you tell him anything else, I'll have your badge."

Elliot sighed, walking toward the door. "You don't know how ridiculous you sound right now. I feel like I'm having a conversation with my teenaged daughter, not my partner. Though, I'd have to kill her if she were in your situation. Don't worry, Olivia. I won't say a word to Cragen, but I hope you reconsider what I think you're going to do."

"Don't worry about me, El," she whispered. "Goodbye, Elliot." He shook his head, and she watched him vanish through the door.

A tear formed in her eye, as she remembered the crime scene. She was sure Elliot had already called Cragen to tell him she was ill. Cragen would wonder why she hadn't told him on the phone, though it wasn't like her to deny she was sick. She rarely got sick, and if she did, she would work until someone forced her to stay home. Cragen would assume that's what happened, and technically, that was what happened.

She fell into bed and cried herself back to sleep.

When she woke, the sun shined through her blinds into her eyes. For a mere moment as she reached consciousness, she had forgotten what had happened in the early hours of the morning. She had forgotten Cragen calling, and Elliot coming over. She had forgotten the positive pregnancy test she had taken earlier. Had everything been a dream?

Eventually, reality hit her like a rock. She was pregnant. The baby was Brian Cassidy's. Elliot knew and had threatened to tell Brian if she didn't herself. _There will be no need for that, _she thought, reaching for the phone book under her nightstand. She opened the yellow pages and began scanning until her eyes landed on the Westside Women's Medical Pavilion. She took a deep breath and reached for her phone, dialing the number.

After two rings, a woman's voice answered. "Hello, you've reached Westside Women's Medical Pavilion. How may I help you?"

She swallowed hard. Her mouth was as dry as a desert. "Uh, hi, I was wondering how soon I could schedule an abortion."

"Well, Ma'am. How far along are you?"

She hadn't even calculated how far along she was. She quickly calculated in her head. It was January. She and Brian had been together in November. It was now January.

"About eight weeks, I think. I'm not positive," she responded.

"Well, it looks like we have an opening tomorrow morning. We can have you come in and you'll be examined, then the procedure will be done if you meet all the criteria."

"Um, what criteria are you talking about?"

"Well, you have to be less than fourteen weeks along. Assuming you are really eight weeks, then you should be good to go. Of course, since you're not positive, we'll check for you."

"Oh, I know I'm not that far along," Olivia assured the woman.

"Then you should be good to go. Does tomorrow at 9 a.m. work for you?" the woman asked.

She hadn't decided how she was going to slip out of the precinct yet, but she knew that this had to be taken care of as soon as possible.

"9 a.m. works perfect," she responded without hesitation.


	5. Chapter 5

Ryan John Elliot Cassidy was so full of life. Even though he was only twelve, there wasn't a moment Olivia doubted her eldest son would be successful. His two middle names suited him well. He would never know where his two middle names had come from, because Olivia had vowed never to tell him the story behind his conception. As far as he knew, his parents were in love and had always been in love. Only she and the men he was named after knew that the same men who made up his middle name were the men he could thank for his life..

Early 2000

Olivia's face was soaked with tears. She hadn't been able to fall back asleep after Elliot had left. Instead, she lay awake in bed, staring at the bare white ceiling. Her tears melted off her face. What had she done? She had been so selfish and foolish. She'd severed a personal rule, and she'd known it was wrong from the beginning. She'd known that sleeping with Cassidy could not only jeopardize both their careers but was poor decision on her part. How was she supposed to know that this would happen? She'd thought the worst had come when he'd wanted to see her again. How could she have known that he saw her as more than just a one-night stand? In all honesty, she didn't see him as the "relationship type." She'd thought he was honestly just interested in sex and nothing more. If she'd known he'd wanted more, then she never would have gone home with him that night from the bar.

_If he finds out, he's going to try and stop me, _Olivia told herself. He'd already tried to pursue a relationship with her. If he knew that she was pregnant, then he would try to use it as an excuse for them to be together. _It isn't happening, Cassidy, _she slyly thought. He was in no condition to be a parent. She just couldn't picture herself with him now, not ever. It wasn't that he was a bad person; he just wasn't her type. Cassidy was one of those guys who would never grow up. He was one of those guys who you'd see at the bar every night, drinking until he was drunk and then looking for women to take home. He was by no means ready to settle down to one woman. It sickened Olivia when she thought of all the other girls Brian had probably slept with. _You're a fool, Olivia, a fool, _she thought, thinking that she'd now slept with all those women, too. After the abortion, she would make sure that she was tested for STDs. She'd been meaning to do it after she and Brian had slept together, but she'd been putting it off. Truthfully, she was terrified of the results.

Her alarm, which had been set for seven o'clock, began to siren. Her heart leaped out of her chest, as she sprang up and stretched her arms across the bed to turn the alarm off. Soon after, her telephone began ringing. She reached for her phone and answered, "Benson."

"Hey, Benson, Elliot told us that you weren't feeling well, so I thought I'd give you a call to see how you were feeling," Munch's voice filled her ear.

Olivia's heart pace picked up. She'd made Elliot promise not to tell Cragen about the pregnancy, but that didn't mean he hadn't confided in Munch or anyone else in the squad room. _Shit, _she thought. Munch was probably the closest to Cassidy out of anyone in the unit, considering the two had been partners. Elliot had threatened to tell Cassidy, and what if he had? _I'll kill him, _Olivia decided.

Olivia quickly needed to decide how to deal with Munch. She didn't want to snap at him, because there was a chance Elliot really hadn't said anything to him.

"I'm feeling much better. Thanks for your concern, John. I think it's just a little stomach bug, should pass soon." Olivia told Munch.

"A little stomach bug, eh?" Munch repeated. "Rumor has it there's a nine-month stomach bug going around town."

"Elliot told you," Olivia snarled. Who the hell did her partner think he was? He was completely out of line telling Munch.

"He did, but he didn't have to. I already had my suspicions. Stabler, Cragen, and I made a bet a week ago—"

"—CRAGEN knows?" Olivia cut in, entirely that there had been a bet going around the precinct about her being pregnant. It was really _that _obvious? Considering she hadn't begun to consider it herself until Elliot had said something to her. Her thoughts had been focused on the job, not her body. The thought might have crossed her mind once, but she'd pushed it away. She honestly had thought the nausea had been the result of stress. When she was in high school and had gotten stressed, she'd always thrown up.

"Relax, Liv. Cragen doesn't know. He didn't think you were pregnant, just that you were missing Brian…"

"Missing Brian? You've gotten to be kidding me. Munch, I never had feelings for him, I swear."

"But you slept with him. C'mon, we all know that. Speaking of Brian, unless you're banging someone else too, he is the father, isn't he?"

Olivia released a sigh, "Unfortunately, yes."

"Olivia, you know you have to tell him as soon as possible," John told her.

"Okay, thanks, Munch. I've already been lectured by my partner, I don't need you too. I'd tell him if there were going to be something to tell him. I'm going to take care of it myself," Olivia said, sighing. She didn't want to go into further detail, and she didn't want him to try to talk her out of it also.

"Liv, I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to say it anyway. Don't do anything you're going to regret. You have a whole precinct which is willing to back you up and support you. I just don't want you to make an irreversible mistake, with all jokes aside." Underneath all his conspiracy jokes, Olivia knew that Munch had a heart. She knew he meant well, but she didn't want Elliot or John prying into her private life.

"Thanks, John, but I'm a big girl. As I told Elliot, I'm entitled to make my own decisions," Olivia said matter-of-factly.

"I know you are, Liv, but we're like a family here at SVU, and Brian is a good guy. He really cared about you, and I know he would want to know. I'd just thought I'd reinforce that. Anyway, I'll let you go to make your own decisions."

"Thanks, John. And Cragen doesn't catch wind of this, right?"

"Stabler and I are the only ones who know. Haven't said a word to Jeffries, either," Munch said.

"Thank God," Olivia mumbled, hanging up the phone. Her heart ached as her face fell into her pillow. She cried again, and her tears soaked into her pillow. What was she going to do? Maybe Brian wasn't such a bad guy. Were John and Elliot going to tell him? She slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her hands were on her waist, and she gently covered her thin belly with her palm. For a moment, she pictured her belly growing. She imagined herself swollen with child. Then, she imagined her pregnant-self running after a perp. _Cragen wouldn't have it, _she knew. She would be put on desk duty, and if anything went wrong during the pregnancy she would be on house duty. The thought terrified her. So many horrible things could go wrong during pregnancy, and the idea terrified her.

Then, what would she do once the baby was born? She walked through her one-bedroom apartment into the living room. She didn't have enough room for a child. Sure, she could fit a crib in her bedroom for a little while, but babies didn't stay babies for long. She would have to move. She could barely support herself. How could she support a child?

_Brian is a good guy, _Munch had said. Olivia didn't doubt that Brian would be willing to support her and their child, but that didn't mean Olivia wanted him to. Brian was still young and had yet to be seasoned. He was just a kid. How could he be a father?

Olivia swallowed. She knew what she had to do. It was what was best for her at this time.

She showered and got dressed, preparing herself for her appointment. She wore sweats and a T-shirt, knowing there wasn't a reason to get in any particular fashion for this occasion. It wasn't one she particularly wanted to look back upon. Hopefully, she would be able to put this all behind her and forget. Though, she knew that she wouldn't. Maybe she would regret terminating her pregnancy, but she couldn't have it any other way.

She'd just grabbed her purse when there was a knock on her door. _Who the hell is here? _She thought, wondering if it was Elliot or John stopping by to try to convince her against the abortion.

She looked through the peek hole, and her heart dropped. She immediately recognized the boyish distorted face. At first, she contemplated ignoring him, but she knew she couldn't.

She opened the door.

"Brian, what the hell are you doing here?"


	6. Chapter 6

Thirteen years and three kids later, Olivia Cassidy felt nothing but love and gratitude when she looked into her sweet husband's kind, loving eyes. She had the life so many women dream about, and she couldn't imagine it any other way. She hated herself for doubting Brian's parenting abilities at one time. She loved to watch her husband play soccer or catch with the boys. He'd taught all three kids how to ride their bikes. All of the children had said "dada" before "mama," and it had frustrated Olivia so much. Brian always teased her that he was the favorite parent, and she wouldn't doubt it. Then again, she was the one enforced the discipline in the house. Brian definitely went easier on the kids. All three kids loved their father unconditionally, though. Olivia could see it in their eyes. If anyone was the perfect father for her children, it was Brian Cassidy. From the moment he had found out she was pregnant, he wouldn't leave her side. No matter how hard she had tried to push him away…

2000

She was infuriated. Anger throbbed in her veins as her eyes met with Brian Cassidy's light brown eyes. Someone had called him, and she had a damn good feeling it had been Elliot. _I am going to kill Elliot Stabler, _she screamed to herself. He'd said he would call Brian if she didn't herself, so clearly it had to have been him. _He had no right, no right, _Olivia repeated in her head. She was a grown woman who was perfectly capable of taking care of her own body. She could make her own choices, and no man in her life should have any input on those decisions. Her heart filled with regret, wishing she had not told Elliot. She should have insisted it was the flu. But he was so persistent. He just wouldn't let it go. Elliot was a professional at getting things out of her, and he never failed.

Brian innocently gazed toward her. "Well, I got a strange phone call a little while ago…John called and said that I should talk to you. He told me I should talk to you in person, because otherwise you might ignore me. What's going on, Olivia?"

_John called him? _Olivia was definitely taken by surprise. She'd been sure it was Elliot. Then again, John was closer with Brian than Elliot had been – they were partners, after all. She realized she shouldn't be too thrown off. It just seemed out of character for Munch to be delving into her personal life, too.

"I don't know why the hell Munch called you. There's nothing to tell you, Brian. Sorry you wasted your time coming here. Now, please go." Olivia crossed her arms, clenching onto her keys in her hand. She glanced at the clock. Her appointment was it forty minutes, and she didn't want to be late. She reached for the door to close it, but he pushed it open and pushed past her. Brian Cassidy now stood in her living room.

"You see, that's what John said you'd say, too. He said you'd insist there's nothing to tell me, and you'd tell me to leave. I'm not buying it. What is it, Olivia? Tell me." He pleadingly stared at her with puppy dog eyes. Her heart picked up its pace, and she could feel it throbbing in her stomach. What was she going to tell him? She couldn't tell him the truth.

"Look, Brian, I…I seriously don't know why Munch called you. Please, get out of my apartment. I know you had a thing for me, but I'm sorry, Brian. I don't feel that way about you." She couldn't bear to look at him, so she found herself focusing on her window, noting the city that surrounded them. She felt bad for having to end it with him again, especially under the circumstances, but she knew it had to be done. Brian Cassidy was not her type, and he never would be.

"No, Olivia, you are lying. I can tell you're lying, because you won't make eye contact with me." He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, then positioned her head toward him and forced her to make eye contact with him. "Look, I think I know what this is about… and I think if I'm right, then you really need to tell me. It's unconscionable if you don't."

_Unconscionable is in his vocabulary? Did he look that up to impress me, too? _Olivia found herself thinking, and she smirked to herself at her own joke; although she didn't dare say anything out loud. It was true; she didn't give Brian any credit. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't an idiot. Had he figured it out on his own? It wasn't rocket science, after all.

"What's unconscionable?" Olivia asked nervously, awaiting his response.

"I've been thinking, and it's been a couple months since we were together. I don't know who you've been with since. We were pretty wasted, and although I normally always protection, I can't remember if we did or not. If you've got an STD, Olivia, you have to tell me, so I can get tested!" The fright was apparent in Brian's eyes, and Olivia's jaw dropped to the floor. She couldn't believe what he was saying. _Fuck, maybe being pregnant isn't the worst of my worries, _she thought, adding getting tested to her 'to-do' list.

"You fucking idiot!" she yelled and slapped him across the face.

"Ow!" he groaned, touching where she'd hit him. A round red mark formed in the area.

"I can't believe you think that…" she glared at him fiendishly. "You're a disgusting pig, Cassidy. Please, get out of my apartment. How many fucking times do I have to ask you? Do I seriously need to call the police? I'm not afraid."

"The fucking hell, Olivia! You don't need to freak out. I was just saying. I didn't know you'd get all pissy. I just couldn't think of any other options… wait…" his eyes widened as large as a golf ball. He observed her from head to toe. "Y-You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Silence beckoned the room, and she didn't know how to respond. Suddenly, she found herself crying. A river of tears rolled down her cheeks, and she nodded.

"Wow," she heard him whisper, as he placed his arms around her. "Don't cry, Olivia."

"I-I don't need your sympathy," she said, gently pushing away.

"Olivia… it takes two to make a baby," Brian said. Those were the first sensible words she had heard come out of Brian Cassidy's mouth.

"Brian, I haven't slept with anyone since you, and I hadn't been with anyone for…God, I don't even know when…before you…I swear," Olivia confessed.

"Y-You're pregnant with my baby," he repeated. "I-I'm going to be a dad."

"Brian, I'm not asking for your support. I never was going to. In fact, I … wasn't planning on having a baby. You can go, really you can. I don't know why John called you. It wasn't his right to interfere. Damn him and Elliot," Olivia gazed into his eyes, wishing he'd just leave so she could make it to the clinic in time. Everything would be so much easier.

"No," Brian said softly. "No, I'm not leaving. I can't let you kill my child."

"It's my body," Olivia told him fiercely. "I have rights over my own body."

"But it's my child you're carrying, don't have I have rights too?" Brian said.

"Why do you even care?" Olivia demanded, crossing her arms. "This is why I didn't want you involved! We're not in love. We're both dedicated to our work. We're by no means fit to be parents. Why should we bring a child into this world together? It sounds like a horrible idea to me. It wouldn't be fair to our child. What? We split custody? Our child will be born into a divorced family from day one. It's not fair."

"We're not in love," Brian repeated. "_You're _not in love with me, but I've been in love with you since the day I laid eyes on you. You're the one who wouldn't give me a chance. Liv, tell me, what the hell is wrong with me? What did I do wrong? Am I that horrible of a person?"

Olivia stared blankly at him. The sincerity in his eyes boggled her. His eyes were bloodshot and she could tell he was holding back tears. She just didn't know what to say to him.

"Y-You're not my type, Brian. You…me…we would never work."

"Not your type, huh? What _is _your type? Elliot Stabler? Are you only into married men? Well, news flash, he's taken. It's never going to happen."

"No!" she shot back at him, alarmed by his accusation. "I could never be interested in my partner. I've told you this before, I don't mix work and pleasure…you…me…it was an accident. A mistake. It should've never happened. Besides, Elliot isn't my type, either. He's too goddamn nosy."

"Right…that's the excuse you played afterward. We don't work together anymore, but now I'm not your type…and you still won't tell me why I'm not your type," he scoffed, and she noticed he was staring intently at her stomach.

"Brian, it's something I can't explain…I just don't think we'd work well as a couple…I don't know."

"Is it I'm horrible in bed? Is that it?" he suddenly asked, and her eyes widened. Was he actually asking this? She thought back to that night, a night she barely remembered. _No, Brian, _she thought_, you're just the opposite…you're too good_. When she'd come to her senses, she realized the horrible mistake she'd made. She didn't deserve the pleasure he'd given her. When she realized he wanted more, she'd gotten scared. She had never had a man so openly pursue her in years, and she was terrified. She was terrified of what Cragen would think. She was terrified of what the other men on the force would say. Most importantly, she was afraid of what would happen when Brian got tired of her and decided to leave. She'd only had one previous serious relationship – the one with her mother's student. The relationship was all wrong, and she had only been with him to spite her mother. She'd ended the relationship, because like with Brian, it had been all wrong. She couldn't risk the pain again.

Now, all of a sudden, the circumstances were different. She was _pregnant_. If she chose to have the baby inside her, then Brian and she would share a special connection forever, whether they were together or apart. There would be a little human in the world that would have half her genes and half his. The thought was scary yet mesmerizing at the same time. Brian was by no means unattractive. In fact, when she'd first met him, she was a bit ashamed to admit that she'd had a little crush on him. She remembered the night that he'd asked her to catch a drink with him. She'd gladly said yes, shocked that Brian had actually taken an interest in her. At work, they rarely worked together. He was always with John, his partner, and she was always with her partner, Elliot. She'd jumped at the chance.

She was also embarrassed to confess that as they were drinking, all she could think about was getting him into bed. She'd fantasized about all the things she could do to him. But she'd only wanted sex. She hadn't anticipated that he would actually want a relationship with her. If she'd known that, she never would have slept with him.

The silence was awkward, and he sulked. "You're not responding, so I guess that's it. Thanks for letting me know that I suck in bed."

"No, Brian, you don't," Olivia sighed. "It's not that, either. I… don't know, I just don't know."

He shook his head, and her heart jolted as he embraced her with his hands. He ran his hands down her sides and landed on her stomach. He gently rubbed her belly with his palm.

"I just…wish…you'd give me a chance, Liv. I promise, I will never leave you and our child. Please, Olivia…we can make it work, I know we can. No one is capable of loving you and our baby like me."

His words were sweet and irresistible. Olivia knew right then that this would be the turning point to her future.

**Author's Note: There's one chapter left! The next chapter will be set in present time, and you'll get to meet all three of Olivia's kids; plus see how this affected Olivia's and Brian's careers! **


	7. Epilogue

"How's my beautiful wife this afternoon?" Olivia's heart was warmed as her wonderful husband's voice entered her ear. She couldn't wait to see him and the kids tonight. It had been a busy week for both of them, but that was the story of their lives. Nonetheless, Olivia firmly believed it was good for them to keep a busy schedule. She'd never known otherwise and she didn't want to. Eight years ago, after the birth of their younger son Ethan, Olivia had left the force. She didn't want to miss her kids' childhoods. Her leaving SVU had been extremely difficult for her partner. Elliot went through a string of partners before convincing Brian to transfer back to SVU. Brian had of course been reluctant at first. It had been his choice to transfer out of SVU because of the difficult, challenging cases. However, he and Olivia both knew there was more to his original transfer than that. In 2006, Brian transferred back to SVU and was Elliot's partner for the next year when Elliot himself decided to leave SVU.

Eleven years after the birth of their twins, Kathy and Elliot had decided to start over. Well, actually, they hadn't planned anything. Kathy had found out she was pregnant right around the time Olivia found out she was pregnant with Ethan. Their son Samuel was born six days before Ethan. Then, three years later Elliot, Junior, was born, just five days after Brian and Olivia's daughter Serena. After Eli was born, Elliot decided to leave the force to play stay-at-home daddy while Kathy worked. He had agreed that it was time for a change of pace, since he had been the major bread-winner when his older children were growing up. He didn't want to miss Sam and Eli's childhoods too.

Brian remained at SVU and partnered with Fin and John, along with a few rookies who transferred in and out of the unit. SVU certainly wasn't for those with a weak stomach. In September 2011, he was partnered with Nick Amaro. This was also around the time Olivia decided to return to work. Serena was in pre-school and the boys were in elementary. She began working part-time as rape counselor. Brian often referred his cases to her.

Cragen had been begging her to return to SVU for years. He'd told her that no one could connect with the victims like she could. A female detective, Dani Beck, had been transferred into the unit shortly after Olivia had left, though SVU eventually became too much for her. After she left, Amanda Rollins joined the squad. Olivia had met Amanda on several occasions. From what Olivia could tell, she seemed to know her stuff well. Amanda had told her that she'd read through some of Olivia's old cases and was impressed. They'd become good friends over the years.

She told Brian that she had one patient who was due to arrive in five minutes, and then she was off to pick Serena and Eli from kindergarten. The kids would play while she and Elliot waited for Sam and Ethan to get off the bus at Elliot's; then she would go pick Ryan up from basketball practice at the middle school.

"Babe, don't worry about Ryan. I'll pick him up from practice. Oh, and guess what? I ran into Elliot at the coffee shop this morning, and he invited us to dinner tonight. He said that Maureen apparently has some big announcement and she wants us there too. He invited Nick too, but he's being a party pooper right now. Troubles at home, I guess," Brian told her. Brian and Nick hadn't gotten along at first. In fact, they'd despised each other at first. For some reason, Brian felt like Nick didn't trust him. Every night, Brian would complain about Nick to Olivia. Cragen had put them in their place real quick, though, and eventually the men learned to get along.

"That sounds great to me," Olivia said, having a gut feeling about Maureen's announcement. Well, it could be one of two things. She'd been with her boyfriend for three years now, so Olivia wondered if an engagement was in order. The Cassidy family and the Stabler family spent so much time together, that they'd become like one big family, so it was no surprise to Olivia that Maureen wanted them there too. Her office door creaked open, and her patient entered the room. "Hey, honey. I have to go. I'll see you tonight. Love you."

"Love you, too, Beautiful."

She hung her phone up and looked at her patient. The woman's sullen eyes aimed at Olivia.

"Hello, Avery. How are you doing today?" Olivia asked the woman, who placed her hand on her swollen stomach. Olivia's heart ached for Avery Jordan, who had fallen pregnant from her rape. She was a sports reporter and had been raped by her cameraman. Now, her case had gone to trial and the defense was using the most ridiculous, outlandish defense mechanism; claiming that one cannot get pregnant from "legitimate rape."

The case made Olivia sick, and Brian was absolutely furious about it too. Olivia was bound to secrecy in regards to her counseling sessions with Ms. Jordan, though Brian kept her up-to-date on the trial process. The thing she loved most about her and Brian's relationship was the fact she'd once walked in his shoes. It made communication between the couple easy. He was able to talk freely about what he saw on the job to Olivia, and he knew she would understand. Communication was so important in relationships. So many detectives weren't able to talk to their wives about their jobs. Elliot had been one of them. Kathy didn't understand that they saw out there; she couldn't, because she'd never been there.

The woman fell into her seat and began weeping.

"I can't do this anymore, Olivia. All I can think about is my child. How am I going to keep him or her safe if this horrible man gets off? You have children, don't you? Wouldn't you do anything to keep them safe?" Avery asked, and Olivia's heart swelled. Since having children, the cases with children involved literally made her weep at night. They'd always been hard and had taken a toll on her emotional state. Now, it was just that much worse.

"I have three children, Avery, and I would do anything I could to protect them," Olivia said.

"I want to leave this place. I can't face him again. I can't bear the thought of this man seeing or having access to my child at any time. I can't go through with this trial."

"Avery, relax," Olivia said, knowing those words weren't what Ms. Jordan wanted to hear. "You have to persevere. If you don't stick it out for the trial, then this man will get away. It's your perseverance that will ensure he is locked up so he will never hurt you or your child again. You've got to stay strong."

Her session with Ms. Jordan had gone a little longer than intended. She'd become close to Avery since the attack, and she always wanted to make sure that she gave her patients her full attention. She never charged extra for late sessions, either. Her patients were there for her support, and she wanted to make sure they had it. Olivia's heart ached for each victim, and she was grateful that she was able to be there for them.

She gathered her things and rushed to the elementary to pick Eli and Serena up.

"Mommy!" Serena cried, running toward Olivia. Eli followed. "We thought you forgotted us!"

Olivia smiled at the amber-haired child. The little girl's small brown eyes twinkled. She was a miniature version of Olivia as a child. Olivia knelt on one knee and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I could never forget you, baby girl." Olivia's eye then focused on the curly-blonde, blue-eyed boy behind Serena. "C'mon, Eli. Let's take you home."

She and Elliot alternated picking up the kids. Brian and Olivia had moved to Queens not long before Ethan was born. Olivia's apartment in Manhattan was far too small for two kids. They'd barely had enough room for the three of them. Elliot was currently in the process of becoming a private investigator.

The kids chattered in the back as she drove to Elliot's house, which happened to be only a few miles from hers and Brian's. It was nice living in the same neighborhood as her best friend.

She never knocked when she went to Elliot's, just like he never knocked when he came to her and Brian's. It was part of their unwritten friendship agreement. The kids ran in the house and raced to Eli's room. Sam and Eli were the only Stabler kids who lived at home. Richard had joined the Army and was based in California. Elizabeth was attending Syracuse University for Drama and lived on campus; she still came home frequently to do laundry and eat a good home cooked meal. Kathleen was attending Hudson University. She'd failed a semester then took a semester off to enter treatment for her Bipolar disorder. Now, she was in her senior year and planned on graduating in May. She would receive her degree in Psychology and had plans to become a rape counselor like Olivia. Maureen was a nurse like her mother and lived with her boyfriend in Manhattan.

Elliot was on his computer in the living room when Olivia arrived.

"Oh hey, there," Elliot smiled, sitting up. He looked at his computer again then her. "You're a little later than usual."

"Session ran late," she explained. "How has your day been?"

"Oh, all right. I've actually got my first case. A mom is trying to locate her daughter who disappeared after her husband's murder thirteen years ago. The toddler was with her father when he was shot to death in his home. They'd been going through a divorce, and he had custody that weekend. The case has gone cold and they've had no luck locating the girl. She'd be about fifteen now."

Olivia was instantly reminded of the Patty Branson case, one of last cases she and Elliot had worked together. Olivia had been very pregnant with Ethan at the time, so she'd been on desk duty the whole case. The cases had their similarities, only the father had died in a car crash. They later learned that the child too had died in the car crash. The mother was in denial, and had hired a Private Investigator to work the case. The PI had discovered Patty Branson, who looked just like the little girl. Turns out the mother had had fertility treatments, and Patty Branson was biologically her daughter. Olivia shuddered, hoping Elliot wouldn't land himself into a situation like that.

"You remember the Patty Branson case, right?" Olivia hesitantly asked Elliot.

"I'm looking at the original police report now," Elliot said. He turned his laptop toward Olivia so she could read the headline for herself: _Man murdered in cold blood, two-year-old daughter presumed kidnapped. _Her stomach tied in knots.

She examined the case with Elliot. They never did find the murderer. There were no new leads. There wasn't much to go off. Basically, Elliot had to start from scratch. He would have to re-interview the original witnesses. Examine the original evidence. Elliot was a good detective, and Olivia had faith that he would be able to finally not only find the girl but bring justice for the girl's father.

An hour had passed before the front door swung open. Ethan and Sam walked through the door.

"Hey, Mom!" Ethan called, waving at the two. "What's up?"

"Oh, I was just looking at something with Elliot. How was school, boys?"

"It sucked," Sam released a moan and took seat in the chair on the right side of Elliot.

"Why did it suck, Sam?" Elliot asked his son.

"Mrs. Pittman assigned us a ton of math homework!" Sam sighed, rolling his eyes. "I hate math!"

Elliot laughed. "It never was my favorite subject, either. Maybe you can ask your mom to help you later? She was always the math whiz for your older brother and sisters."

"Or, I could just not do it," Sam insisted, with a hopeful grin on his face.

"I like that idea!" Ethan said, nodding in agreement.

"That's just not an option," Olivia told the boys.

Both boys released loud groans of disgust.

"Though, you can wait until after dinner to do it," Elliot offered. "I can give you that much leeway."

"Hey boys, let's go check on Eli and Serena. I haven't heard a peep from Eli's room in a while," Olivia said, motioning the boys to follow her to Eli's bedroom. They followed her to the room, where they found the five-year-olds playing school.

"Hey, Mommy! I'm the teacher!" Serena announced. "I'm teaching Eli a-with-ma-tick!" Olivia looked at the paper Eli was writing on. Serena had written various addition facts on the paper, and Eli was filling in the blanks. Of course, most of his answers were incorrect. He did get 1+1=2 correct, though.

Ethan glanced over at Eli's paper. "Oh, God, I know who not to ask for help!" the eight-year-old laughed. Ethan passed the paper to Sam, who also began laughing.

"Wow, I thought I was bad at math. Eli, you're stupid!" Sam pointed his finger while laughing at Eli.

"Samuel Edward Stabler!" Olivia scolded. "You do not call your little brother stupid."

"And you're not my mom, so shut up," Sam snickered. Olivia didn't appreciate the attitude from Sam. It wasn't like him.

"Hey, don't tell my mom to shut up! I thought we were one big family! So, apologize to my mom!" Ethan scolded his friend, and Olivia smiled. It felt good to have her son sticking up for her. She wrapped her arms around Ethan Donald Cassidy.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Olivia admired the men her sons were growing up to be.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Cassidy," Sam murmured. "I didn't mean to be rude."

"Just don't do it again, Sam. It's important to be nice to everyone," Olivia told the boy. "Now, boys, why don't you help Serena and Eli with their addition facts?"

"Sound like fun!" Ethan smiled, taking the pencil from Serena. "Two plus two isn't five," he told the kids. He pointed his fingers. "See, two fingers here plus two fingers here equals four fingers!"

Olivia smiled widely as she watched the older children help the younger children. Then, she heard the door open again. Was it Brian with Ryan? It was still a little too early for it to be them, though.

She left the room and discovered Kathleen and Elizabeth had arrived.

"Hey, Liv!" Kathleen greeted Olivia with a hug. She turned her to her father. "Mom's not off work yet?"

Elliot looked at his computer screen (who uses watches anymore?) and shook his head. "She should be home shortly. I think her shift ended ten minutes ago."

"Where's Maureen?" Elizabeth asked. "Rumor is she has an announcement."

"She should be here at any moment," Elliot told his daughters. He turned to Olivia. "How are the kids?"

"They're great. Sam and Ethan are teaching Eli and Serena addition," Olivia enlightened Elliot, figuring he didn't need to know that Sam had mouthed back to her. If it happened again, then it would be a concern. For now, she felt like she'd handled it just fine.

"Can I check my Facebook page?" Elizabeth asked her dad, who was still clung to his laptop.

"The iPad is in your mom's and my room. You can go get it," Elliot said, still glued to his laptop. Olivia wondered if he'd found anything.

"Dad, you're always on that laptop," Elizabeth sighed, rolling her eyes. She stormed out of the room to go gather the iPad.

"So, how's school going, Kathleen?" Olivia asked, trying to stir up some type of conversation.

"I'll just be glad to be done," Kathleen sighed. The door opened again, and Kathy walked in the room.

"Hey, Mom!" Kathleen greeted Kathy, giving her mother a loving hug.

"Hey, so what's this I hear that Maureen's coming over with an announcement?" Kathy's eyes were aimed at her husband. "Someone just texted me twenty minutes ago to tell me this."

"I texted you at nine this morning," Elliot contradicted. "You just read your text message twenty minutes ago."

"Well, I can't check my texts while I'm at work, can I?" Kathy sighed. "Let me guess, I need to get dinner started. Who's all coming?"

"Don't worry about it, Kath. I've already got a meatloaf in the oven. It should be done about six-thirty. As far as I know, it's just to be Liv and Brian's family, Maureen, Kathleen, and Elizabeth, and Sam, Eli, and you and me," Elliot smiled at his wife, setting the laptop down for the first time. He gave Kathy a hug and kissed her forehead.

"Okay, wow, but when did you learn to cook meatloaf?" Kathy asked.

"It's not that hard to follow a recipe. We're also having mashed potatoes and green bean casserole," Elliot smiled warmly.

"God, I love you," Kathy beamed.

"Hey now, I think God would be offended that you're calling me God," Elliot joked.

Kathy, Olivia, and Kathleen laughed, and then they noticed the handle on the door turning.

"Ryan and Brian, or Maureen? Anyone want to take bets?" Elliot asked the crowd.

The door opened before anyone could offer their bet, and Maureen along with a tall red-haired man entered the room. Olivia recognized Daniel McMahon, Maureen's boyfriend. Immediately, Olivia's eyes directed to the shiny ring on her finger.

"You're engaged," Olivia blurted without thinking.

Maureen's face lit up. "I was going to wait until dinner to tell everyone…" she held out her shiny engagement ring. Maureen was glowing. "I am indeed engaged!"

The room cried out in awe as Kathy squeezed her daughter. The commotion brought the kids out of Eli's room. "Congratulations! I can't believe my oldest daughter is engaged. My baby…"

"Mom, I'm twenty-eight. That's eleven years older than you were when you married Dad," Maureen noted.

"Well, you're still my baby," Kathy said. "You always will be. All six of my kids are my babies." She patted Eli's and Sam's heads.

"Maureen is engaged!" Eli announced. "Congratulations!" He wrapped his arms around his big sister, and Maureen lifted Eli off the ground and gave him a hug.

"Thanks, Eli. Wow, you're getting so big! I can barely lift you now!"

"Are you calling me fat?" Eli stuck out his lip. It was adorable.

"Someone's been hanging around Elizabeth too much," Elliot laughed.

"I heard that!" Elizabeth yelled, entering the room with her parents' iPad. She looked at her oldest sister. "So, what's all the commotion?"

"Maureen's engaged!" Eli chirped.

"You are? I knew it! That's great. Congrats, Maureen!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

Maureen, still holding Eli in one arm, reached out for her fiancé's hand. "Well, we actually had two surprises. We'll save the second for dinner."

Olivia took note to Maureen's shiny cheeks and forehead. Her face was also slightly swollen. She looked tired, but she also glowed. A woman always knew, especially one that had children of her own. She would keep her mouth quiet for now, since she'd already ruined one surprise for Maureen.

She pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. It was six o'clock. Where were Brian and Ryan? She was beginning to get worried. Ryan was off practice at five o'clock. During the busiest traffic, it normally took about forty-five minutes to get from the middle school to Elliot and Kathy's house.

"Momma, I'm hungry," Serena whimpered, tugging at Olivia's hand.

The meatloaf's aroma was beginning to linger throughout the house. Olivia's own stomach churned for food.

"We just have to wait a little longer," she explained to her daughter. Her real concern wasn't eating, though.

She took her phone out again and called Brian, but she got his voicemail. Then, she tried to call Nick, but he didn't answer either. Had something happened while they were on the job, so Brian wasn't going to make it? She then called Ryan's cell phone. They'd gotten him a cell phone for his birthday last year in case of emergencies, since he was partaking in school sports.

"Hey, Mom!" No words could describe the joy she felt when she heard her son's voice enter her ear.

"Hey, Ryan. Are you with your dad?" Olivia asked her twelve-year-old.

"Yeah, we're on our way to Uncle Elliot's house," Ryan said. Olivia felt a huge relief come over her.

"Can I talk to your dad?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. Let me hand him the phone."

"Liv?" her husband's voice entered her ear.

"Brian! Why weren't you answering your phone?" she asked, trying not to sound too irritated.

"Sorry, sweetheart. My phone is on silent. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm just glad you're all right. I'll see you when you're here," she said.

"You'll see me a lot sooner than you expected." Olivia heard an echo as the front door opened. She smiled, ending the call, and wrapping her arms around her amazing husband. She looked at Ryan, who was still dressed in his basketball gear.

"Were you worried or something, Mom?" Ryan laughed.

"No, no, not at all," Olivia lied. "Okay, maybe just a little."

"Look, I know Dad isn't usually the one who picks me up from school, but he's actually a pretty good driver. Plus, he's got a badge, so all my friends think he's cool."

"Are you implying that your dad is cooler than I am?" Olivia raised an eyebrow at her son.

"I just said my friends think he's cooler, not that I think he's cooler," Ryan said in his defense.

"Mhm."

"Dinner's ready!" Elliot announced, and the crew began to file into the kitchen to fill their plates with potatoes, green bean casserole, and meat loaf. Olivia first helped Serena get her plate, then she went on to fill her own.

The five kids sat at their smaller table, while the adults sat at the big table. Ryan had been trying to talk the grown-ups into letting him sit at their table, but with Maureen and her boyfriend at the table, there wasn't enough room for Ryan. Ryan reluctantly joined the younger kids.

"I can't wait any longer," Kathy said, gazing with eagerness at her oldest daughter. "What's your second surprise?"

"Jeez, Kathy, you didn't even let them start eating first," Elliot teased his wife.

"You can't tell me you're not dying from excitement, Elliot," Kathy said.

Elliot shrugged. "Go on, Maureen. Tell us your surprise."

"Well, everyone. As you all know, I'm getting married. We're hoping for a March wedding. I know that's soon, and I'm hoping you'll all be part of my wedding." She turned to Olivia. "Liv, you've been like a second mom to me, so I would love for you to be my Maid of Honor."

"It would be a pleasure for me," Olivia said warm-heartedly.

"And of course Elizabeth and Kathleen will be my brides maids, Serena will be my flower girl."

"Yes!" Serena gleamed. "I can't wait!"

"Eli will be the ring bearer, and since Daniel has no brothers, he's agreed to have Ryan, Ethan, and Samuel as groomsmen. His best friend from college will be the best man…"

"Wait, I thought there was a second surprise?" Kathy asked, curiously.

"What I'm getting at, is how much everyone here means to me. Mom and Dad, you've always been there for me. Dad was at work a lot when I was younger, and I didn't understand why. He was tough on me, but it all makes sense now. You raised me right, and I can only hope I'll be half the parent you guys were. That's right, I'm pregnant!"

There was silent, and then there was cheering. Kathy wrapped her arms around her daughter, tears of joy streamed down her face. "Oh, baby. Congratulations."

Elliot held his fork in his hand and stared in awe at his oldest daughter. "I-I'm going to be a grandpa." He was in disbelief.

Olivia merely smiled. "I knew it."

Elliot gazed at Olivia and shot, accusingly, "She told you first!"

"No," Olivia said, reaching for Brian's warm hand. "A mother always knows."

~THE END~

**A/N: I know it's a little cheesy and fluffy, and I normally hate fluff, but oh well. It was nice to write Olivia happy for once.**


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